Tracking device for player grand pianos.



T. DANQUARD. TRACKlNG DEVICE FOR PLAYER GRAND PIANOS.

APPLICATION FlLED DEC 28. 19M.

w H k8 SK 1 nJ KG N 1 A. o 10c WI N N% "Q n I I M W \Wm ununu ouwuu KwQ rllllllllllm n W D. w R IV of the tracker THOMAS DANQUARD, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., ASSIGNOR TO AUTO PNEUMATIC ACTION CDMPANY, A CCIRYORATION OF NEW YORK.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR PLAYER GRAND PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed December 28. 1914. Serial No. 879,301.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THoMAs DANQUARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Tracking Device for Player Grand Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tracking device for a grand player piano and the principal object thereof is to provide a device that can be placed under the key bed of a grand player piano in such a position that it will take up very little room in practice and to provide means whereby the device will work if the paper either expands or contracts from its normal width.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan of mechanism below the key bed of a grand player piano showing a preferred emhodin'ient of this invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the music roll and connected mechanism shown in position for playing; Fig. 3 is an end view of the same with the key bed shown in vertical section and also showing the folded position mechanisn'i in dotted lines; Fig. 4c is a front elevation of the tracker bar; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the valve box for Controlling the position of the music sheet on the spools; Fig. 6 is a plan of the same; Fig. 7 is a plan of the interior thereof, the top plates beingremoved; Fig.5 is a sectional view on the line S S of F ig. 6; Fig, 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of Fig, 6. and Fig. 10 is a. sectional view on the line 10---10 of Fig. (5

The invention isshown as grand piano casing having a key bed 10, and a tracker slide 24,- which supports the tracker har 25. This slide moves horizontally under the key bed in guides 26. The usual tracker channels coniniunicale \viththe action through ficxible tubes. The keys 23 are operated by the striking pneumatics in the usual way. Under the tracker bar are located bearings 27 on the slide. for a. lower music roll 28. This music roll is mounted therefore to move with the tracker and not independently thereof. Mounted to swing about a, shaft 49 as a cent r are a pair of arms 29 which constitut a frame and carry bearings 30 for the upper music roll 31. This constitut s a frame or support for the.

a pplicd to a 36 and 37 upper music roll adapted to swing about the axis of the lower music roll. The two extreme positions of this frame are shown in F in". 3, the full lines showing the playing position and the dotted lines the folded position. In the former case the frame is held in place by spring pressed plungers 33 on the bearings 27, and in the latter case it is held in position'by springs 34 holding the hearings of the roll. Suitable guard plates are shown for the music roll. \Vlicn it is desired to fold the parts into inoperative position, the upper music roll 31 is simply swung around by hand into the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 3 and then the tracker slide is moved back.

The motor which is operated pneumatically is provided with the usual crank shaft. This is connected by a flexible jointed and extensible shaft 45 with a driving shaft 46 having a. sprocket wheel 47. This drives a parallel shaft 48. These two shafts are mounted on the tracker slide. A clutch is adapted to be controlled by the reroll lever 77 to cause the shaft 48 to be rotated in one direction positively 48 is provided with the usual pinion 53 for driving the shaft 54 of the music roll 28.

This shaft 48 by means of a chain 55 as.

usual drives the shaft-56 o'f theupper'otlier music roll 31. This latter shaft is provided with a spring 57 at one end and normally forcing to the right the end of the shaft 56 which thus is pressed yieldingly against a stud 58. This stud is adjustably mounted on a lever .59 which is pivoted at 60 on one of the arms 29-which carry the upper music roll. The other; end of this lever is engaged by the, off-set end 61 'of a rod 62 when the parts are i n the positionshown in Fig. 3. The end (ll is off-set so that when the arms 29 are swungdup to that position it will he engaged by the arm 59 and gradw ally put the spring 57" under compression. The rod 62 is provided with an arm 63 on the end and with a link 64. for operating it. The link 64 is pivoted to the end of the central arm of a three-armed lever 65 which i pivoted on the horizontal plate (56 car ried by the trackerfslide. The other two arms of this lever are in line with each other and normally lirranged in a horirontal position. Their ends are connected by links 66 with the movable leaves 67 of two music sheet controlling pneumatics 68 and 69 conand rapidly. The shaft stituting a tracking device. These two m0v-- able leaves are also provided with cleats which are pivoted to the opposite ends of a lever 71 which is pivoted at the center to the opposite side of a valve box 72 which is carried under the plate 66. Consequently onboth sides these pneumatics are positively caused to move with each other and thus there is no tendency to twist them at their It is to be observed that the pneumatlcs are horizontally arranged end to end under the tracker slide and they as well as' the cooperating parts, take up a minimum of space vertically. Therefore the parts especially satisfy the conditions existing in grand pianos.

The valve box 72 is provided with a chamber 73 which is connected by a tube 7 1 with the wind chest (not shown), and consequently is "open to the suction. In this chamber 73 there are two pairsof pouches 75 and 76, four in all, their upper sides being at all times .open to the suction. Under them' are four passages 77 and 7 8, each c0uple of which communicate with each other through a channel 719. Each passage 78 is adapted to be filled with air through a tube 80 which is connected with a channel ing 81. on that side of the tracker bar 25. These connections are duplicated on the other side. Furthermore, there are two additional tracker openings 82, one on each side and. spaced nearer together than the openings 81. These two are provided with tubes 83 which cross each other so to speak, the one from the right hand side of the tracker passing to the left-hand side of the valve box 72 and being connected with-a channel 84 which passes to the top of 'a diaphragm 85 directly over the pouch 76 on that side. These parts of course are duplicated on the other side. Each pouch 76 carries a 'solid' disk 86 which keeps the two diaphragm-isseparated and causes them to work together. On each of the diaphragms' 75 there is a disk 87 which carries a'valve stem and a.

valve 88. This valve, upon the rise'of the diapbragms ascends and cuts a channel 89 of? fromthe chamber 73 and-opens com-- mimication from the outer air through the channel 89 to one of the pneumatics, as for .exampie, (38. The result of this action obviously is to inflate this pneumatic with air, it ha vinp; been connected. with the suction pre openthe exhaust. Then this viously. The operation of this part of the device is as follows Assuming that a music sheet is employed wide enough to cover both sets of tracker openings .81 and 82, the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 2. Now this is a neutral position, all the openings 81 and 82 being covered to prevent the entrance of air behind any of the diaphragms. All these diaphragnis are in their normal lowermost positions consequently, and the pneumatics 68 and (59 are connected with the exhaust and balanced. Now if the music sheet wanders to the right the passage 81 to the'left'will be opened. This causes the diaphragm 76 on the left side of'the valve box 72to rise so as to permit the air to enter the passage 77 and raise the diaj ihragm 75. This raises the valve 88 and admits air to the pneumatic 68 on that side. This results in'swinging the lever 65 and moving the rod 64 to the right. This turns the shaft 62 on its axis and presses on the lever 59 so to move the lower end Of that lever to the right in Fig. 2 and the upper end to the left. This forces the music spool over to the left and tends to correct the wandering of the sheet. The operation, of

course, if the sheet wanders in the other direction is exactly the same only matic on the right hand side is operated instead. If. a music sheet is employed which is of insufficient width, either by reason of its original construction or subsequent contraction. to cover the'openin s 81 the device will still opera to as shown herein. In that case the music sheet'will of'course beoriginally adjusted to central position and both openings 81 will be uncovered. Then air the pneuwill he admitted to both pneumatic-s 08 and (59. But if both are cut off from the exhaust and exposed to the air they will be locked against each other so that theywill not move from their neutral positions and the parts again will assume the position shown in Fig. 2. Now if the paper wanders to the right the opening 82 on the left will lie uncovered. The resiilt ofi this is toallow air to be introduced throughjhe tube 83 and channel 84 above the righthand pneumatic 85. This forces dsl: 86 and consequently the pneumatic 7e down or: their seats and cuts off the channel 7 7 on that side from the outer air. -Through the usual bleed Opening as this channel is exhausted and the valve 88 on the right hand side falls. back to its seat and cuts off the pneumatic.

69 from the outer air and connects it with v pneumatic collapses. It will be seen that the collapse of the pneumatic 69 has the same through the opening 82 as the expansion of the pneumatic 68 when operated through 81.

It will be seen that the music sheet "will operate properly even if it is not wide enough to cover the 'openings 81, provided offset when operated it is wide enough to normally cover the openings 82. Provision can be made for the proper operation of the sheets even if expanded unduly provided the openings 81 are spaced for the normal width of the sheet, or provision can be made for causing the sheets to operate properly even when contracted if the openings 82 are spaced to be just covered by a sheet of normal width.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single embodiment of the invention, I am aware of the fact that many modifications can be made therein Without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in these respects, but

IVhat I do claim is 1. In a player grand piano, the combina tion with the keybed, of a frame mounted to swing about a horizontal axis from a substantially horizontal position under the keybed to a substantially upright position in front of the keybed, means movable with said frame for adjusting a music roll axially on the frame, and a tracking device under the keybed having an operating rod located in position to engage said adjusting means when the frame is moved to upright position.

2. In a player grand piano, the combination with the keybed, of a frame arranged to swing on a horizontal axis from inoperative position under the key bed to operative position in front of the key bed, a music roll shaft carried by said. frame, a lever mounted to swing ranged for moving the music roll shaft axially to adjust it, a tracking device under the key lied, and a rod connected with the tracking device and operated thereby, said rod having an offset end in position for operatively engaging said lever when the fran-ie is swung to operative position in front of the key bed, thereby operatively connccting the tracking device with the music roll shaft 3. in a player grzuid piano. the combination with a horizontal key bed, of a trackerbar siidably mounted under the key bed, two web controlling pnuematics arranged end to end in horizontal position under the key bed and movable with the tracker. bar, a lever connected with the movable leaves of said pneumatics so that when onecollapses the other is forced to expand, means controlled from said tracker bar for controlling the with the frame, and ar-- operation of said pneumatics, and means connected with said lever for controlling the relative position of the tracker bar and note sheet.

4, In a player grand piano, the combination with a horizontal key bed, of a slide movable horizontally under the key bed, a tracker bar, music rolls mounted on said slide and movable therewith, and a horizontally disposed tracking device located on the back 7 cover one of said control openings, the pneumatic on that side will be inflated, said tracker bar having also an inner pair of control openings, and means whereby when both outer openings and one inner opening are uncovered the pneumatic on the side opposite the uncovered inner opening will be deflated.

6. In a tracking device' for a player grand piano, the combination withthe key bed of a tracker bar having'a series of music apertures, a set of two pneumatic control openings spaced a distance apart for coiiperation with the edges of a note sheet, and a second set of two penumatic control openings spaced :1 different distance apart relatively to the first set. means for drawing a per forated note sheet over the tracker bar, a horizontal lever under the key bed, connections from said lever for shifting the note sheet on the tracker bar, two pncumatics arranged end to end in a substantially hori zontal position under the key bed for operating said levcnand connections between said control openings and said pneumatic for causing the pneumatic to operate the lever to maintain the normal lateral relation between the trackcr bar and note sheet.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS DANQUAHD.

\Vitnesses:

\VM. J Knnnnr, Wu. J. Barron.

when the IOU 

